I cannot get to the point!!

The project objective said: “Get to the point”. Well, let’s be honest here. I tried. I insist, I tried, and tried and tried very hard. But yet, as you have it, I could not do it. I could not “get to the point.”

Often, when I am desperate, logic leaves me and philosophy takes over. It happened the same way this time too. After spending a clumsy confused hour in despair - thinking about how to, if at all, get to the point - I was very close to giving up. And then, just at that very moment, philosophy struck me. And I cried – Eureka! No, I assure you, I was not in my bathtub at that time!

And bingo!! I got my answer!

What? That, there is not, perhaps, any much point in the objective to get to the point.

So, dear Toastmasters and Guests – I present before you my point is case, which is that, there is not much point in the objective to “get to the point!” We need focus, true, but that is not all. We also need to take it easy. We also need to stop by to watch a flower or hear a bird sing. We need to catch up with old friends over coffee. We need to make memories, and have a little fun in our way. There is not much point in just trying to “get to the point!”

You need evidence?

Think Newton. Or, think Adam and Eve in the garden of Paradise. Either ways, a simple fruit, a seemingly simple fruit – an apple – played a huge, huge role. Didn’t it? Now, think of it… What if they never cared for what darned fruit hangs from the branch of a darned tree, and falls on the darned ground all of a sudden? What if they didn’t care to notice, because they focused on trying to “get to the point”? We wouldn’t have happened! Gravity would’ve remained a mystery!

You see my point?

Now, an example from our very homeland - think Mahabharata. At the end of the internship period – oh, they called it Gurukul in those days – Guru Dronacharya – by the way, do you know how Gurgaon got its name? Yes! This is the very same village that was given by the Kauravs to Guru Dronacharya as his remuneration, and was named after him as Guru Graam – from which Gurgaon derives its present name. Huh! There I go! Lost my way while trying to get to the point!

Well, where was I? Right! So, Guru Dronacharya after completing his lessons with his pupil, called upon them to appear for a test. He asked for an archery contest! He walked to a tree with all the princes, and pointed them to a bird that sat high up on one of the branches of the tree. The students were supposed to hunt the bird. Now, in interest of time, I will go over just 2 cases in this. Number 1 – Yudhisthira. As soon as Yudhishthira perches his arrow on the bow and places it on his shoulder and looks through it – pat comes the question from his Guru. “Son, tell me, what do you see?” Yudhusthira brings down his bow, bends down and touches his feet, and says – Gurushree, I see you, my dear brothers, the ground, the air, the sky, the tree and the bird. The Guru snatches away the bow from him and waves him out of the contest. “Without focus, you cannot kill the bird!” – He says. When Arjun’s turn comes, Dronacharya now asks him the same question. “What do you see, Arjuna?” Arjun doesn’t even turn at him. He replies – Just the black of the pupil of the bird’s eye. Of course, of course Toastmasters, you may argue – see, that makes Arjuna a greater warrior, doesn’t it? Well, but tell me – who gets to go to the heaven at the end? See!

Well, there is no denying the bare fact. If you adopt a focused approach, a bird’s eye view of things, it surely does help you reach your destination faster, quicker, straightaway. It helps you to achieve your purpose, attain your goal, reach the rope at the end of the race track sooner than the rest. But then, is life really a race? Is a travel really about just its destination and not the journey? Do we not often miss out on the small little things of beauty along the journey when we put too much focus on the end destination? Is the journey of life really so easy as to “get to the point” with just precision and focus?

I beg to differ. I borrow the words from a favourite author Elizabeth Lesser who said in her book “Broken Open”, “We are all Bozos in the bus!” Oh yes, we are, indeed. So, let us not try to become too important. Let us be casual, let us be playful, let us just enjoy the moment, at times. Let us waste some time, if it so be. Let us take it easy. Let us not fret too much trying to get to the point. Let us not worry too much about the destination, as we very often do not even know the destination Life has in store for us. Instead, let us enjoy the journey, the small little things of beauty and of joy. Let us, just, take it easy!

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Project 3 - Get to the Point

Every speech must have a general an a specific purpose. A general purpose is to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. A specific purpose is what you want the audience to do after listening to your speech. Once you have established your general and specific purposes, you’ll find it easy to organize your speech. You’ll also have more confidence, which makes you more convincing, enthusiastic, and sincere. Of course, the better organized the speech is, the more likely it is to achieve your purpose.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
	•	Ensure the beginning, body, and conclusion reinforce the purpose.
	•	Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel.
	•	Strive not to use notes.

Links to:

CC1 | CC2 | CC3 | CC4 | CC5 | CC6 | CC7 | CC8 | CC9 | CC10

Here is what I presented for my third speech in the Competent Communications journey!

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This has also been Published in MyCity4Kids!!

Did this help you? Do you want to discuss, or share a view? Leave me a comment in the box below!